HighLights
  1. BAT BMS, Epoch Li-ion apps removed from app stores.
  2. Apps misused to remotely disable e-rickshaws in Delhi.
  3. MeitY acted due to safety risks, financial losses.

The Centre has directed the removal of two mobile applications, BAT BMS and Epoch Li-ion, from both the Android Play Store and Apple App Store after reports emerged that they were being misused to remotely disable e-rickshaws.

Taking note of the issue, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has ordered the apps to be taken down. MeitY Secretary S Krishnan, in a statement, stated that the government would engage with app stores to ensure that applications capable of causing such harm are not made available to the public.

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"There are a couple of apps which came to our notice yesterday, and both the apps have been taken down from the app stores. App stores need to exercise due care; we will take it up with them to see that possibly damaging apps don't come up," the MeitY Secretary said.

Both battery management apps pair to the lithium-ion batteries via Bluetooth and monitor metrics including charge levels, temperature, voltage, cycle count and overall battery health in real-time. However, they have allegedly been exploited by miscreants to switch off moving e-rickshaws, leaving drivers stranded in the middle of the road.

About The E-Rickshaw Prank

The prank involved using the Chinese-made battery management apps to connect to nearby e-rickshaw batteries over Bluetooth. Once connected, users activated the discharge switch within the app, instantly cutting power to the vehicle.

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What may appear to be a prank has turned into a serious problem for e-rickshaw drivers, as their vehicles suddenly stop while on the road. The prank led drivers to be unable to restart their e-rickshaws.

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The viral prank drew widespread attention on social media, with many reacting to the ‘prank trend’ calling it misuse of technology. Beyond creating massive traffic jams, sudden power cuts on crowded streets pose a severe risk of accidents, threatening the lives of both drivers and passengers. Furthermore, these e-rickshaw operators depend entirely on their vehicles for their daily income.

According to a News18 report, distressed drivers paid strangers up to Rs 200 just to figure out how to restart their vehicles. 


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